Let the photo voting begin (10-30-12)

CAÑON CITY, Colo. – Today the BLM Royal Gorge Field Office invites the public to vote for their favorite photo submitted to a BLM-sponsored photo contest. The winners will be chosen by the public and may be featured in future BLM Colorado publications.

The contest began Oct. 2. More than 60 photos were submitted and can be viewed and voted upon through midnight Nov. 4 via the “Photo Contest” album on the RGFO’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/BLMRoyalGorge

Two winners will be chosen; one based on the most “likes” and the other based on the most “shares” received by midnight Nov. 4. Only those "likes" and "shares" that originate from the Royal Gorge FB page will be tallied towards a winner. The winners will be announced Nov. 6 and may be featured in various BLM Colorado publications and social media sites.

Contest Rules:• Photos must be of public lands in Colorado, preferably along the Front Range; however, any scenic, landscape or wildlife photo in the state will be accepted. Please include a caption of where the photo was taken.• All identifiable people in the photo must be over the age of 18.• Only original entries, please. All photos must be submitted by the original photographer and without a copyright.• Photo sizes are limited to 4.5 MB and should be in TIFF or JPEG formats.• All photos must be submitted via e-mail to BLM_RGFO_Photos@blm.gov by Oct. 29, 2012.• Participants must have “liked” the RGFO Facebook page, and may submit up to two photos.

By submitting a photo, contest participants agreed to allow the BLM to use their photos on social media sites and in future publications. Photo credits will be given upon use, and the artist will remain the copyright holder of the artwork.

Those interested in following the contest can do so by visiting the BLM Royal Gorge Recreation Facebook page. For more information contact Denise Adamic, 719-269-8553.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2013, the BLM generated $4.7 billion in receipts from public lands.